Evangelical leader calls for kinder, gentler immigration laws

Galen Carey of the National Association of Evangelicals called for Congress to "pass meaningful immigration reform this year" today in a conference call with other faith leaders. Members of the group said they are trying to create a grassroots, church-based movement to press for passage of legislation.

"The Catholic Church and all its sister organizations will step up our efforts to educate across the economic and political divide," said Father Jon Pedigo, pastor of St. Julie Billiart parish in San Jose.

Also joining the phone call: Reps. Mike Honda, D-Calif., and Yvette Clark, D-N.Y., both of whom expressed hope that President Obama's call for a new immigration bill would help break the logjam in Congress. Honda is seen in the photo at left.

All of the religious leaders expressed concerns about raids and deportations that are tearing apart families in their communities.

Several weeks ago, a traffic stop set up near his parish by law enforcement authorities kept some parents from picking up their children from school, "leaving lots of frightened kids standing outside in the rain," Pedigo said. The type of changes the religious leaders said they would like to see sounded a lot like those proposed in a Senate bill that collapsed three years ago. It would have given illegal immigrants with clean records a chance to stay in the USA and become citizens.

The legislation had the support of then-president George W. Bush as well as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. But there was vocal opposition on the right, led by TV commentator Lou Dobbs. This year immigration has to compete with a number of other major measures, including health care and jobs legislation. Democratic leaders say they want a new immigration bill but neither Reid nor House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is moving to put it on the legislative calendar anytime soon.

Update, 1:45 p.m.: Kevin Appleby, director of Migration Policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, tells us the outlook is better in the Senate this year because there are more Democratic members than in 2007. He estimates that the support of six or seven Republicans to guarantee passage and wonders why neither party seems to be trying to grab a golden political opportunity.

"The growing Latino vote is up for grabs and immigration reform is one key to getting their support," Appleby wrote in an email. "Neither party seems to want them. "

Among the methods the National Association of Evangelicals is using to change attitudes: Bible study. "When people have the opportunity to study the Bible, we see it transforming our views toward immigrants," said Carey. He believes the scripture's message on immigration is clear:

"We see we are called to love the stranger," Carey said. "We pray our country will have the courage and do it now."

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About Catalina Camia

Catalina Camia leads the OnPolitics online community and has been at USA TODAY since 2005. She has been a reporter or editor covering politics and Congress for two decades, including stints at The Dallas Morning News and Congressional Quarterly. Follow her at @USATOnPolitics.